Quick-fix improvements to search engine rankings are likely to contravene Google guidelines, one expert has stated.

Writing on the AdSense blog, Google's search quality evaluator Ambroise Fensterbank indicated that search engine optimisation (SEO) is a gradual process and there is no "magic formula" for success.

He notes: "Ranking in Google search is based on many different algorithms, and optimisation for search is a long, continuous process.

"For these reasons, and because the techniques might violate our guidelines, we recommend avoiding any techniques that claim to optimise your ranking very quickly or radically."

However, experts do advise that even if companies do not intend to practice so-called blackhat SEO techniques, it is worth becoming acquainted with them.

Commenting in the Search Engine Journal, Julie Kent argues that at the very least understanding blackhat helps with understanding how search engines function.

Is it ever appropriate to use blackhat SEO?

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